Hal Clement Helped Launch My Writing Career
 |
 |
 |
Novels by Hal Clement: Cycle of Fire (Del Rey, February 1975), Iceworld
(Del Rey, October 1977), and The Nitrogen Fix (Ace Books, September 1980).
Covers by Gray Morrow, H. R. Van Dongen, and David B. Mattingly
Hal Clement (real name, Harry Stubbs) was born in 1922 and passed away in 2003. He graduated from Harvard and held degrees in astronomy, chemistry and education. A former B-24 pilot, he worked for most of his life as a high-school science teacher at Milton Academy, in Milton, MA. He gained his reputation as a writer of hard science fiction, a pioneer of the genre. I have read his novels The Nitrogen Fix and Cycle of Fire, both of which I enjoyed immensely.
I got to meet Hal at a sci-fi convention about 30 years ago. I was a struggling young writer in my early 20s, working hard on a science fiction novel modeled in the styles of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hal was part of a panel discussion on how to break into the writing business. His fellow panelists were comprised of some Star Trek novelists and editors. I was thrilled to attend the panel; with all the youthful exuberance one could imagine.
After the panel discussion was through and people were milling about, I approached the group of panelists, including Hal. I had five or six manilla envelopes, each containing the first few chapters of my novel. Frightened, yet determined, I introduced myself and asked the panelists if any of them would be willing to take a look at the first few chapters of my book and, if they were so inclined, let me know what they thought of it.
This offended one of the Star Trek novelists (or editors, wasn’t sure), and she tore me down, berating me, telling me that asking this of them was grossly inappropriate, in bad form, and completely unprofessional. Her peers were shaking their heads at me, in agreement with her assessment of my solicitation.
Except for Hal. As the Trek writers and editors walked away, leaving me stunned, Hal said to me, “I’d like to take a look at it.” I was happy but still upset that I’d committed some kind of inexcusable writer’s faux pas, so I awkwardly thanked him and walked away.
I never heard back from Hal, which is fine, but about an hour or so later, walking about the con, I saw him again, sitting in a chair, reading my manuscript.
That gave me hope to keep going, to keep writing. It meant a lot to me then, and it still does to this day.
Jeffrey P. Talanian’s last article for Black Gate was From Al-Qadim to The East Mark Gazetteer. He is the creator and publisher of the Hyperborea sword-and-sorcery and weird science-fantasy RPG from North Wind Adventures. He was the co-author, with E. Gary Gygax, of the Castle Zagyg releases, including several Yggsburgh city supplements, Castle Zagyg: The East Mark Gazetteer, and Castle Zagyg: The Upper Works. Read Gabe Gybing’s interview with Jeffrey here, and follow his latest projects on Facebook and at www.hyperborea.tv.
What a blessing. I wish he was still around to be thanked by random people who get to know about this. Thank you for sharing this warming anecdote.
This reminds me of how I once gave Robert Jordan the first few chapters of an unfinished novel of mine at a book signing. Some time later, the manuscript was mailed back to me with a polite letter (likely a form from his office) explaining that he was too busy to read other people’s stories, but wishing me the best. However, the letter was, as far as I could tell, personally signed by Jordan.
For years I’d forgotten about this, but one day I came across the small yellow package with my manuscript and Jordan’s letter inside, and I realized that this was, in a sense, my first rejection letter.
I recall the year that Hal was gracious enough to visit a small college SF con in Western Mass (NJAC) as all three of its GOH — Hal Clement, writer GOH; Harry Stubbs, fan GOH; and George Richard, artist GOH.